Overwatch PTR Update Buffs Roadhog and D.Va, Nerfs Sigma

Blizzard's hero-shooter Overwatch is constantly being updated, with the company making changes to heroes and adding new content on a regular basis. Since updates can severely impact the balance of the game, Blizzard often tests them in the PTR. Not all of the PTR updates make it into the full game, but many of them do, and so the Overwatch PTR patch notes can often give players a good idea of what to expect from the main game in the near future.

The latest Overwatch PTR patch notes reveal that Blizzard is toying with the idea of tweaking 13 of the game's heroes. This includes changes to the game's tanks, with a D.Va buff potentially giving her a quicker regeneration rate and lowering the delay for her regeneration to begin in regards to her Defense Matrix. Roadhog's Scrap Gun may be getting its ammunition increased from five rounds to six, and Winston's Barrier Projector is getting its duration increased to nine seconds with 700 health instead of 600. Sigma and Orisa, meanwhile, both have potential nerfs coming their way, with Orisa's Protective Barrier cooldown increased from nine seconds to 10.

The Sigma nerfs are a bit more substantial. Blizzard is nerfing Sigma's Kinetic Grasp so that it no longer blocks Roadhog's Chain Hook and Brigitte's Whip Shot. Sigma's Gravitic Flux will have its high gravity duration lowered from 1.2 seconds to 0.9 seconds, and his Experimental Barrier ability is getting some changes as well. This will include the regeneration rate being reduced from 175 to 150 per second and a 1 second cooldown after recalling the barrier. On the bright side for Sigma players, the 0.2 second cast time for the ability is being removed.

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Besides tanks, Blizzard is experimenting with changing other Overwatch heroes in the PTR. Baptiste's Immortality Field's health is being decreased from 250 to 200, and Lucio's Crossfade speed boost is being creased from 20% to 25%. Lucio's Amp It Up speed boost is being increased from 50% to 60%, and Lucio's Wall Ride speed buff is being decreased from 40% to 30%. Mercy's extra beams when in Valkyrie will now ignore enemy barriers, and Moira's Biotic Grasp will self-heal at 20 health per second instead of 30.

Blizzard is making changes to Damage characters as well, and all of those changes can be found in the full Overwatch PTR patch notes, which we've attached below.

HERO UPDATES

D.Va

Defense Matrix

Regeneration rate increased from 12.5% to 16% per second
Delay before regeneration begins lowered from 1 second to 0.75 seconds

Orisa

Protective Barrier

Cooldown increased from 9 to 10 seconds

Roadhog

Scrap Gun

Ammunition increased from 5 to 6.

Sigma

Kinetic Grasp

No longer blocks Chain Hook and Whip Shot

Gravitic Flux

High gravity effect duration reduced from 1.2 to 0.9 seconds

Experimental Barrier

Regeneration rate reduced from 175 to 150 per second
Now has a 1 second cooldown after recalling the barrier
Initial 0.2 second cast time removed

Winston

Barrier Projector

Duration increased from 6 to 9 seconds
Health increased from 600 to 700

Baptiste

Immortality Field

Health decreased from 250 to 200

Lucio

Crossfade

Speed boost’s effect increased from 20% to 25%

Amp It Up

Speed boost’s amplification increased from 50% to 60%

Wall Ride

Speed buff reduced from 40% to 30%

Mercy

Valkyrie

The extra beams created by Valkyrie now ignore enemy barriers

Moira

Biotic Grasp

Self-healing reduced from 30 to 20 health per second

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Rocket Punch

Time to reach max charge increased from 1 to 1.4 seconds

The Best Defense…

Shield health gained per hit reduced from 35 to 30

Sombra

Translocator

Cooldown increased from 4 to 6 seconds
Cooldown now begins immediately upon deploying the beacon or if it is killed by an enemy

Symmetra

Photon Barrier

Duration reduced from 15 to 12 seconds
Health reduced from 5000 to 4000

Sentry Turret

Damage per second reduced from 50 to 40

Photon Projector

Players impacted by the primary fire beam should now hear a louder impact sound

Tracer

Pulse Pistols

Damage falloff now starts at 13 meters, up from 10 meters

BUG FIXES

General

Fixed a player profile issue preventing hero win percentages from being displayed for competitive arcade mode seasons

Heroes

Brigitte

Fixed a bug with Brigitte’s Rally checking line of sight from her feet instead of from her head
Fixed a bug with Inspire’s position being affected by the player’s aim pitch

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